The Sound
by LadyKG
Summary: They lost. Completely. Totally. Lost. They thought it impossible, that the fates would reject this outcome for tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. They have been punished for this belief. And for that, she will go back. Sakura-time travel AU. Sequel posted: 'The Fury'
1. Improbable

**Don't own Naruto, or the characters, or the picture used.**

 **Fair warning - this will be a bit confusing as if jumps between timelines without indication and not necessarily in order either. When three words are in italics it means a new memory is starting. I DID NOT USE ITALICS FOR WHEN SHE SWITCHES BACK TO THE PRESENT.**

* * *

They hadn't planned for this. Not because it was impossible, but out of the sheer belief in its improbability. The assurance that it simply _would not_ happen, _could not_ happen. That the fates would reject the actions as they had countless times before. That they would reject the outcome tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

But it had.

And the occurrence, the consecutive following of unexpected events and their unforeseen inevitability, led to this point. With a room of damp stones piled on each other, cool to the touch, and the air heavy with dirt particles. The thick haze recognizable as drugs pumped under flesh to disorient and contain - though not nearly as potent as her own. A ripped uniform of standard ANBU stained with patches of dried, flaking blood. Mask, cracked delicately on one side, placed in the center of a metal table. Head band gone, lost to the tearing hands of comrades that hadn't known her when they should.

 _It_ had led to blank green eyes dulled to lifeless, sunken orbs, that stared unseeing into a void lost to those observing. Her skin prickled with the touch of cold metal, a contrast to the burning on her arm that signified the chakra suppressing seal's activation.

They lost.

Totally.

Completely.

 _Lost._

 _The ground decimated,_ bitter and black air hanging over broken earth that covered their world. Blood seeped steadily into the ash of bodies it once inhabited, returning to its rightful place too late. The clouds hung heavy overhead, draping a screen of bursting shadows and rain onto the earth. Foot prints etched into the ash washing away as if the world was eliminating all traces of those who had been slaughtered. As if even the heavens couldn't bare the pain of remembering.

The slam of a hand against steel, damp walls misplaced behind the shine of a bright light.

 _'Naruto?'_ is the first hopeful thought that crosses her mind in years, fleeting when focus relents to reveal a dark figure attempting intimidation; but she has seen scarier things in the nightmare breathing down her neck, taking over her reality.

"We'll start with your name."

 _"Sakura-chan!" the light_ , happy voice rings out in a welcoming tenure, "Sakura-chan, wait up!" He's older now, war-hardened. The roughness in his eyes not matching the enthusiastic steps and stretching smile. He smells like ramen and ink, hands stained from experimentation. She smiles because simply standing in the man's presence makes the world seem brighter, makes their future seem hopeful. She smiles because he would want her to.

 _She blinks and_ the world is gone, grey sky falling as clouds block out the sun she isn't sure even rises anymore; not since _it_ happened.

"Sakura!"

She whips her head around, pink strands sticking thickly to her skin from sweat and blood, she spots Sasuke calling out to her. His voice is hoarse, cracking as his lungs become blocked with ash and dirt. A head of silver hair is resting against his shoulder, blood soaking into the fabric.

It won't matter. Even if she saves him they'll all die anyway. There's no hope anymore now that the improbable tore itself into their lives and made a home.

Sasuke reaches her, laying out the body of their sensei and tugging sharply on her clothes to make her kneel down.

 _"Sakura, come on!_ We're going to be late!" Ino is pulling at her sleeve, small hand twisted into the pink material of her shirt. The blonde's voice is high and excited, impatience in her steps speaks clearly of annoyance at the pinket's slow pace. The movie theater is just around the corner and they have ten minutes before the ticket booth even starts selling for the night. They won't be late, she refuses to pick up the habit, refuses to be like her sensei in that respect.

But the movie theater is now replaced with crumbling walls and screaming civilians, panicked children crying out for parents lost to falling rumble. Fires licking at skin and burning flesh till voices cry out for mercy. Her home is turning to ash around her.

 _Silver hair that_ no longer defies the pull of the earth is caked in blood, resting in the bed of ash that crunches with every movement. Sasuke is looking at her as she rises to her feet with dawning comprehension. And she wonders absently if she were faster, better, stronger, would this of happened as it has.

She feels sticky, tired and immovable.

A creaking that she thinks is meant for psychological tactics lets in footsteps, scuffing in a way that would get the men - too heavy to be women, shadows too large - killed if they were in her world.

"We'll try this again," a voice says, she can't tell the direction - mind too fuzzy with the weight of chemicals, "who are you?"

 _"We need a medic!"_ The scream comes from outside her tent, surgery equipment not even cleaned from the last patient to fall to rest on her table. The flap to her space pushes open, wild and wet from the deluge of water dumped from the heavens, "oh, thank Kami. He needs immediate attention."

So do the twenty others dying at her feet.

 _Gaara's brother is_ bleeding out, she can't recall his name, not that such a detail is important when saving his life. His sister's eyes are burning into her face, intense and hopeful, pushing all her world onto the shoulders of the woman pumping green chakra into a downed puppet-user.

 _"Medic-san! Medic-san!"_ A hand is grabbing at her vest, pulling in anxious bursts, "please, we need you!"

 _"We need her_ on the field!"

"She's the only one left, we can't risk it."

"Shikamaru's right, without her we won't have anyone to heal the wounded."

 _The beat of_ a heart, slow enough to be considered dead before she even started, stops with one last burst of effort. Temari is screaming, kicking and twisting in her husband's grasp as she curses Sakura's name for killing Kankuro - ' _so that's what he's called'_ \- what kind of medic can she be if she can't even save one person.

The pain of a blow blossoms over her cheek, "what village are you affiliated with?"

Gone. Everything.

 _Gone._

Konohagakure fell.

She likes to believe it was glorious, that they hadn't fallen without a commendable fight.

She's always been good at lying to herself.

 _"Suna welcomes you,"_ a redhead's steady voice informs the survivors. Not _home,_ never home, but there is a bed and shelter, warm meals and smiles. It's the closest thing she experiences to _home_ for the rest of the war, and it only lasts a month.

 _They gave up_ their village headbands, trading them in for ones that marked them as members of the alliance trying to save the world.

The last piece of her home taken away from her. The last object commending the power of a broken peoples, lost with a village brought to its knees.

Her tent is a deep green, the mark of a medic painted quickly on the side to inform the surrounding alliance of her status and guide them to her should they require help. The cot that's settled against one side is filled with a patient, as is her operation table, so she sleeps in one corner with a blanket wrapped tightly for comfort and a kunai gripped in her fist.

"Why are you here," it isn't a question anymore, they have stopped asking them long ago - or maybe they never had - instead it's a demand, a threat. But she has lost everything, has nothing left for them to threaten expect her life and even that is forfeit.

 _"You don't need_ to do this."

"I do."

"We can find another way."

"Sasuke, there isn't another way."

"You can't-"

"I can't not."

She needs to fix everything. Needs to save them. If she can stop their deaths, if she can change history, then none of this would have come to pass - no war, no losses, no pain.

If she stops _it_ then the world is saved.

"Why are you here."

Green eyes snap into focus, locking onto the figure for possibly the first time since it has entered the room. Blinking she finds a face she vaguely recalls - she has forgotten so many, there were so many deaths it was impossible to remember them all and too easy to forget.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, I am the leader and only remaining medic of the shinobi alliance fighting in the fourth great war."

They are the only words she has spoken since they caught her and so her voice comes out strained, throat protesting as its dry nature becomes more painful from forced use.

Her eyes twist to the man standing in the corner, blonde hair shadowing his eyes.

 _Orange fabric covered_ in blood gripped limply in her hands was the only lifeline she had in that moment. Blue eyes unseeing. Muscled limbs unmoving. Too-big heart not beating.

They hadn't thought it was possible. It was _Naruto,_ after all. And for that disbelief, they paid.

She couldn't save him.

She was too late.

Forcing herself to the present - that is really her _past_ \- she tries to focus on the differences. The lack of whisker marks, the missing obnoxious jumpsuits, no blinding smile. No recognition in eyes that would be so familiar on a boy not even born yet.

"And I am here to save Uchiha Obito."

Because if she saves him then _it_ won't come to pass.

Because if she saves him then Naruto will live.


	2. Impossible

**Don't own Naruto. Don't own characters. Don't own picture used.**

 **This is a 'I'm-half-way-through-my-exams-and-found-a-spare-moment-to-write' celebratory chapter!**

 **Hope you enjoy! And please review!**

* * *

She told him everything. And nothing.

Of dark skies and rushing winds, rapid destruction as jutsu - so powerful - shred the landscape into unrecognizable rubble. Of stillness as the very earth held its breath in mourning of so much loss.

Told him of reassignment. Head bands with _'shinobi'_ stamped into metal plates passed out with standard gear to mark level. No one was below chunin, not even the academy students.

Old plates were melted down to make kunai, swords, shuriken, senbon. Instruments of death.

 _"Hey, Fore-head," Ino_ tapped her on the shoulder, "you get your new gear yet?"

She nodded her head to show her answer, her voice was hoarse from barking out orders to nurses and other medical staff. Tsunade had gone down with the village.

 _"GET THEM OUT_ OF HERE!" The yell of her teacher sent shinobi scrambling to comply, her seal was released and pumping chakra into limbs, organs, cells. She was their last line of defense as the civilians were taken away – Naruto too far off to be of service, taking on his own formidable opponents. Sakura saw a wave of silken straw-blonde locks, cut loose from their ties with a near hit. She knew that the seal wouldn't last much longer, has seen her shishou fight enough to make an accurate estimation.

There was the splatter of blood, warm and thick against a porcelain mask, as green eyes watched through the carved holes.

 _A splatter of_ cool rain hit her hand and Sakura looked down with a frown, "well," Ino said next to her, "let me see!"

 _"Maa, so you_ made ANBU," Kakashi looked at her with praise clear in his voice, "congratulations."

She gave a shining smile, the weight of a mask on her hip suddenly too heavy, she took it off for the third time in as many hours to inspect the piece. Tsunade had been so proud handing this to her pink-haired student, it had been something that Sakura reveled in.

The design was delicate, a pleasing factor, dark pink – almost red – lines danced around the surface forming the pattern.

"Scorpion?" Naruto looked down at the design, his eyes squinted as he seemingly tried to see the resemblance.

"It suits you, Ugly," Sai offered with a fake smile. Tenzo to his right giving a nod in her direction.

 _"Figures," Ino told_ her hotly, "ANBU again."

The mask slid out of her friend's hand and into her own once more.

"It is only fitting that you keep the same mask," Sarutobi explained as she held the porcelain in her slim fingers, tracing over the small crack passing through the left eye, "you'll be placed on the force, but I want you as part of team Minato as well."

She told him everything.

She told him nothing.

He believed her.

Sat at his desk telling her she would once more be a shinobi of Konohagakure. Once more bare the symbol of her birth village with pride and honor – only, with a different story to be told to the public and council, a new name; Hatsu Sakura. That her mission was to be fulfilled to the utmost of her abilities and that he would provide what aid she required.

She thought him a fool. Trusting so easily a stranger he has not met, and most likely never would have. He hadn't even demanded her something so often spoken to those who told tall tales.

 _"Prove it," the_ words fell across dry lips into a charged space between them. Kiba-not-Kiba stood before her with Akamaru-not-Akamaru at his side, but it was too convenient. There were too many possibilities saying that the shinobi before her wasn't her friend but a degraded transformation done by Zetsu to gain entrance and then strike.

Too often they have lost people to the likes of doppelgangers made out of clones from Kaguya's spawn.

It destroyed moral and trust amongst comrades.

It killed so many.

"You'll be staying in the same apartment building as Minato," Sarutobi continued, "you will find the keys, your new headband, and some money in this scroll."

 _"Get this to Gaara,"_ Shikamaru told her, a scroll shoved into her hands stopping the green chakra that pumped from their coils and into his open wounds, "you don't have time to heal me, by then it'll be too late."

And he was right, she knew, that the western base would be attacked any minute and they needed the seal array in the scroll to help keep the damages to a minimum. But she has lost so many already, and Shikamaru can be healed, she only needs some more time – she always needs more time. Making hand signs so often seen from a blue-eyed blonde a clone appears next to the two, she shoves the scroll into its hands and within a blink she is back to shoving what little chakra she has left into the deep gash spilling organs from her friend.

Her clone popped some time later – she wasn't sure how long had passed.

The scroll made it.

Shikamaru gave a slightly bloody smile at the news.

The scroll is fresh, and she tucks it securely into her weapons pouch, "thank you, Sandaime-sama."

She offers the polite response and a small smile, hoping to stop the pitying look she knows is coming from the blonde behind her. She doesn't need their pity, doesn't want it. Pity means that there is something to be solemnly depressed about, and she will make sure this time has no such occurrences. She will fix everything.

She promised.

"I'll show you the way," Minato's voice rung out, and she wanted to tell him that she knew how to get there. She wanted so desperately, but as the words came to the tip of her tongue she found them convoluted with falsities that she wished were anything but.

She couldn't remember, could barely recall the way to walk in order to reach training ground three. Ichiraku's a fuzzy memory in the back of her head that she pushes away when smiling blue and yellow with overlays of orange burst into her mind.

She can't remember.

War makes some things easy to forget, and others so hard.

She turns and gives a sharp nod, curt but not deemed to be impolite. Sakura won't look at him though, can't bring herself to. Her green eyes avert at even the slightest hint for fear of what the sight of Naruto's father will do. _'Naruto,'_ the name repeats in her mind like a prayer, _'oh god.'_

 _"Naruto!" She shouts_ desperate, running on legs collapsing with each step, "oh god, Naruto! Come on," she says, more to herself, "come on, come on, come on, Naruto! Open your eyes, damn it! Naruto!"

The window is always an exit for a shinobi, one more often used than doors and she can still here the Sandaime's grumbling at such a fact as she follows blonde hair across roof tops.

The village looks different, from what little she can recall – no fourth or fifth head on the mountain, some buildings that she is sure were shorter in her time, or not there at all. Her memory is faulty at best for this comparison, but she knows that their village had changed after the nine-tails attacked with the need to rebuild.

If she remembers correctly, Obito had been one of the main perpetrators in that act, so if she is to save the Uchiha than such an event is less likely to happen – maybe won't happen at all if she can get to Zetsu and Madara earlier on.

The apartment is minimalistic, nice in that sense, and she gives a small word of gratitude to her escort – who informed her of the time and place for a team meeting the next day - before shutting the door with a near silent click.

 _"Surprise!"_

 _The shout_ makes her jump, almost spilling the four bags of groceries she was juggling in her arms – arms not quite long enough to wrap around two each. Wide green eyes look at the array of confetti sprinkling across her floor, a wide banner with neon colours paints _'Happy Birthday!'_ on her wall. She smiles at the sight, her friends and teammates grinning back with teeth and laughs.

There's a cake and candles, small boxes wrapped decoratively in one corner of the room, balloons – some floating and others bouncing along the ground. Naruto and, surprisingly, Sai grab the bags from her hands. Hinata gives her a confetti popper while Ino forcefully straps on a birthday hat in a blue orange that contrasts badly with her pink locks and green eyes – but she's not about to complain.

A balloon pops with a loud bang to her right.

 _The explosive tag_ lets out plumes of smoke and someone screams to take cover, but they're in Suna's deserts with nothing to dive behind and even if there was there is no way to escape this fight now that they've been found.

She wrinkles her nose and squints her eyes as sand rubs painfully against sensitive skin.

 _"Is this supposed_ to feel good?" She asks her mother, trying to squirm away from the woman as she rubs her feet with something akin to sandpaper.

"It would hurt less if you stopped moving," her mother reprimands her, but Sakura could care less because the discomfort ending is more than worth her mom's ire.

Besides, she needs those calluses. She earned them.

Tsunade's training wasn't easy, after all.

"Mom," she lets out in a whine.

"Fine," her mother throws her hands in the air, leaving the bathroom and allowing Sakura to shower.

The feeling of warm water running over her scarred skin is something she hasn't experienced in years, she hadn't even had time to think about how much she missed it until now. During war she had cleaned when she could in rivers and streams, never letting her guard down.

Now, to have such an opportunity is daunting. Standing before the shower, still fully clothes the pinket watches in wonder as steam rises from the heated water, knowing it is fogging the mirror behind her.

Logically, she understands the need to take off her clothes to wash herself.

Logically.

But she hasn't, not for so long.

Being caught naked was something that she feared more than anything, to be so vulnerable before your enemy – something so purely unacceptable.

 _"How do your_ weapons not get rusty," a shinobi she can't recall the name of asks her.

"I clean them in my spare time," Sakura answered, and though it wasn't a lie it wasn't entirely truthful either. The only spare time she had was a handful of hours to sleep each night. But her dreams were so riddled with nightmares that she might as well not attempt sleep at all, and so every time she woke she would clean every weapon she had until dawn.

She doesn't take off her uniform, opting to enter the shower in full gear – the clothes need a wash anyway, and the Sandaime gave her two standard jounin sets, she'll simply change into one and then make her way to the markets to buy supplies, clothes and food.

When she exits the bathroom, having dried with a simple jutsu, she quickly changes – hand twitching for her kunai the entire time.

By the time she makes it to the market and back her nerves are fried, and she is shaking with pent up anxiety. Not even bothering to make it into her apartment more than her front door she slide along the surface to hug her knees to her chest.

She'll move to a more secure location once her breathing calms and her heart isn't leaping from her chest.

Such a crowded area, with so many smells, so many sounds. It was too much.

Overwhelming to her senses. She'd make sure to send a clone next time.

 _There are hundreds_ of them. Filling the battle field with orange and golden light, moral boosting cheers ringing from every one of their mouths – met by equal cries of impossible victory from the blonde's shinobi audience, his loyal followers.

Sakura could never seem to get used to the sheer number of clones her knuckle-headed teammate could produce without dying of chakra exhaustion. Though, she supposed, it did help with battle against such unthinkably strong opponents. Overwhelm, and conquer while giving a pep talk to rival all others that if it didn't make the enemy believe the blonde could find peace then nothing would – Naruto's own style.

One she loved so desperately to watch. And looking at her friends, each with a smile on their face and determination in their eyes, she surmised that they too loved it.

It kept them fighting.

It kept them alive.

She wouldn't know what they would do without their blonde leader – a thought nearly impossible to comprehend.


	3. Impractical

_Chakra pumped from_ her hands, warm as it surged desperately into the body below her fingers that she refused to let tremble. The skin was growing colder, had been near frozen when they brought the pinket's best friend in on a stretcher. That was nearly fifteen minutes ago.

"Ino-pig, don't you dare give up on me," she ordered, her throat strained and though her hands were steady, her voice was not. Another surge of green darkened the light flowing from her, and as Sakura glanced up to take in dirty blonde locks spilling in a tangled mess over her table she ordered one of her nurses to bring a wash cloth. They needed to clean off the blood, again.

But no one moved. There was no quick shuffle, no rush to offer aid.

She looked up and saw all the medical staff staring at her, the look in their eyes soft and lost – pity in its finest glory.

"What are you waiting for," she yelled, baring her teeth in a vicious snarl at her command not being heeded. Still, no one moved.

She pumped more chakra into the _injured_ – not dead – blonde, moving her green eyes up to look at the dull ones staring into the distance towards the ceiling of the tent. A smile was on Ino's lips, blood having bubbled out of the corner, tracing a streak down the woman's cheek and soaking into her hair.

Sakura could already hear the complaints her friend would have about having to wash that out.

The flap to the tent flew opened, revealing Kakashi. Relief flooded Sakura; someone competent showing up was just what she needed, "Kaka-sensei," she welcomed, "grab a cloth and help would you?"

A dark orb looked from her to the limp form on her table, then back to her, "Sakura-"

"I've almost closed this wound," she cut off, "I just need you to wipe away the blood after."

Kakashi didn't move either – _'so much for being competent'_ she thought bitterly.

"Sakura," the man said her name again, this time moving around to stand next to her, "you need to stop."

"Why should I!" She snapped back.

"Sakura," and would he _stop_ saying her name in that stupidly soft tone, "she's gone, there's-"

"She's not dead!" Her eyes blazed as she said the words, looking up sharply to pierce her sensei with a glare, "if you're not going to help, then leave!"

There was a sharp pressure at the back of her neck, and then blackness was taking over her vision – taking away her best friend.

The same darkness disappears as her eyes open to welcome the sight of an unfamiliar apartment bedroom basked in silver moonlight through thin curtains she hasn't found time nor money to replace. She wasn't on the bed – hasn't slept in one for years and saw no point in starting, not when sheets and blankets were possible hindrances if one were to be attacked.

Choking back the cry of loss and wiping away the single tear rolling lazily down the contour of her face, Sakura dumped her two weapons pouches out before her – she had restocked, enough to fill four storage scrolls. Two for each pouch with extra weapons packed with them.

She had even managed to buy the appropriate supplies to fill her medical pouch – though this shopping had cost her enough that she purchased only protein bars and a bag of fruit to stock the kitchen.

That is not to say they are the only weapons she holds – her teammate was a seal master by the end of his life and had taught her what he could. Her wrist held a sizable tanto and her other her ANBU uniform; it would do no good should someone search her residence and discover it.

 _"Are you sure_ this is going to work?" She looked skeptically down at the seal array painted on the paper; supposed to effectively seal as much as any scroll but onto the body. Naruto and her had been working on the design for two years now, and despite having a hand in its creation she felt unease at the thought of actually using it.

If it should fail, the consequences could be disastrous.

"Of course it's going to work, dattebayo!" Naruto huffed at her, crossing his arms like the child he never seemed to grow out of being, no matter the war, no matter his insightful blue eyes.

Pulling out the materials needed she picked up a kunai, holding it close to her face and spinning it to inspect the edge against the dim light, before deftly beginning the process of sharpening her weapons until dawn. Something she has always done when faced with such nightmares.

By the time the sun rose over the horizon enough to slant soft rays through her window she had finished, organized, and repacked all her supplies.

Grabbing hold of the pouches and the other pair of standard jounin gear the Sandaime had allotted her she moved to the bathroom to prepare for the day – one which would undoubtedly be taxing.

It's when she is exiting the bathroom that she hears it. A rattling in the kitchen and rising volume of voices achingly familiar, impractically familiar – they are not alive in this time. Clenching her hands into fists – though her nails fail to dig into calloused flesh for the sole reason of her treasured leather gloves – she stalks forward towards the source of noise.

The sight of warm, tranquil light resting against three figures crowded in her small kitchen and dining area makes her pause. Kakashi stood, mask firmly in place, with a pink apron tied neatly around his waist, spatula in hand as Naruto and Sai argue in half hushed whispers.

"Morning, Sakura," Kakashi gives her an eye-smile, adding another shining-with-grease sausage to the large pile next to the stove.

"Sakura-chan!"

"Ugly."

Her two teammates greet at the same time. She stands there, dumb founded by the scene – brain unable to process that perhaps she was dreaming. Her heart, traitorously, grasping onto the spider-web silk of hope dangling before her.

The next thing she knows she has moved forward, offering warm smiles to her friends, and stealing a sausage from the plate. As she bites into the meat she finds it rather dry, a blandness to it that can't possibly belong to such a greasy food.

Before she can say a word to their chief the door lets out a rather annoying thudding sound suggesting the presence of another on the opposite side. Blinking at the sound and seeing her three guests make no move to open the door she, herself, decides to ignore the noise.

Opting instead to bask in the feeling of _home._

"It's rude not to answer, Ugly." Sai states breaking her relaxation with a monotone voice that he only uses nowadays to recite gained knowledge from social interaction books.

She lets out a long-suffering sigh, moving to greet the unexpected interruption to her morning.

"Have fun Sakura," Kakashi's voice drifts to her as she reaches the entrance way, she shoots the man a confused look but he's facing away and misses the question in her eyes.

Grumbling about weird sensei and their annoying aloof habits she grasps the cool knob. The sight on the other side has her stomach twist and the spider-web of hope snap.

"Good morning, Hatsu-san," Minato says from his position in the hallway, "are you ready to meet your new team?"

She glances back to the kitchen but the area is empty of her friends, and the smell of cooking has left her apartment. Sakura looks down at the food in her grasp and finds nothing more than a protein bar. She refuses to let the crippling pain in her chest show on her face as she gives a nod and pulls on her sandals.

Barely able to keep her reaction hidden as she swears three hands come to rest firmly on her thin shoulders; they're gone by the time she stands.

The village is fairly busy for all that the time is earlier than what most civilians would deem an applicable hour for shopping.

 _"Let's go Naruto,"_ Sakura said, dragging the blonde along the market streets in the direction of the food stalls, "you are going to start eating properly if it is the last thing I do."

They take a sharp turn, down a short alley and out into another road, "but Sakura-chan, it's so early, dattebayo!"

"The perfect time to shop," she says primly, "all fresh produce."

"Produce! Produce as in vegetables?!"

"Yes, Naruto, produce as in vegetables."

She didn't grasp how useful her super strength could be in everyday situations quite as well as she did when the blonde started struggling to extract himself from her hold.

Everyone was waving at them, or more specifically, the smiling and all-too-cheerful blonde next to her. Minato was popular it would seem, and the longer they walked in the streets the more obvious it became as to why the man was chosen to be the next Hokage – not for his skill, or his fierce loyalty, but for the simple reason that he is loved so purely by the village.

When they reach the meeting point a small girl with brown locks and purple marks on her cheek is already there.

A shock of white hair to one corner makes her pause in her steps for such a short moment she might as very well of kept stride. As she looked at the miniature of her sensei she watched in interest when Kakashi, _her_ Kakashi, walked up next to the cross-armed youth and gave a chuckle.

"Go easy on me," her Kakashi says, a roughness to his voice she can't place, "I was a brat at this age." The older Hatake reached out to run his hand through the younger's silver hair, but as she blinked the image disappeared and she was left wondering if it had happened at all.

Her focus falls onto this time's Kakashi, his gear ANBU styled, with a tanto strapped securely to his back.

 _The infamous copy-nin_ blocked another incoming attack with the sword in his grip – one that she recalled had been in the possession of the man she punched a hole through at the start of their fight. Sakura gave a breath of relief for the man's impeccable timing when it counts.

She had to finish healing Choji before anything else, the boy in bad enough shape that he wouldn't make it back to camp without her immediate attention, and despite Temari's skill with her fan she couldn't be everywhere at once.

Couldn't stop the onslaught of kunai heading towards Yamato – who was keeping White Zetsu pinned down, hopefully long enough for Sasuke and Naruto to arrive on sight and seal the nuisance - and prevent the enemy from reaching Sakura; not at the same time.

She watched the intricate dance that happened as her sensei expertly defeated enemy after enemy, a mere glance at his long-time friend enough to communicate everything needed to know.

It had come as a shock, at first; learning that Kakashi knew one of their new members, had fought alongside him.

 _"Come on, you_ have to help!" Naruto exclaimed to the man, "don't you want to know what he looks like under that mask?"

"I…" the hesitance in the man's voice was taken as consent by the energetic blonde, who promptly grabbed hold of both Sai and Yamato before running off to hunt for the Hatake.

"How long do you think before they realize I was here the whole time?"

"Sensei," the boy speaks up, "who's she?"

The question is normal, an acceptable one to ask when meeting someone for the first time. Except, this isn't Sakura's first time and she hadn't thought on how painful it would be to hear him say such an inquiry.

"I'm Hatsu Sakura," she introduces, but before she can say more Minato interrupts – something he seems to be making a habit of, she notes bitterly – suggesting they wait for introductions and explanations till Obito arrives as well. She holds back a sigh as silence settles over them.

By the time the Uchiha makes an appearance they have been waiting for a good hour, and Sakura had taken to reading an old, worn, orange book that had been a cherished gift from her knuckle-headed teammate.

"Sorry I'm late," Obito pants out, hands on his knees from running, "this old lady needed help with her groceries and-"

 _"-then a black_ cat crossed by path so I had to take the long way around," the excuse was let out in a lazy drawl.

 _"A green monkey_ challenged me to a duel that I couldn't refuse."

 _"My favorite book_ store had a sale."

 _"Maa, maa, my_ alarm clock broke."

 _"I got lost_ on the road of life."

 _"So this is_ why you're always so late," Sakura says casually as she walks to stand by her sensei. He only hums in acknowledgement as he stares down at the carved stone glistening in the morning light.

Then Obito is smiling and scratching the back of his head.

Sakura's heart stops.

 _'Naruto.'_

She is almost positive her face has paled, but can't bring herself to care because this, this _murderer_ , is wearing _Naruto's_ smile. And hot anger rushes in waves up from her stomach, making her grit her teeth to force down the glare she wants to direct at the apologizing menace.

"He hasn't done anything yet," Sakura nearly jumps at the voice, instead she glances to the side briefly to catch sight of Shikamaru standing straight and resolved next to her, "I know it's hard," and she knows he does, because Obito had taken Temari from him, "but you can't blame him for things he hasn't done."

Her jaw loosens minutely as she observes the scene playing out between the teammates, Kakashi and Obito bickering while Rin tries to placate and Minato looks on with fond long-suffering.

"He really does act like him," she whispers to her companion, "like Naruto."

"Just don't go comparing them all the time," Shikamaru advices, "it won't do any good."

Then the Uchiha is asking about her – something that doesn't hurt nearly as much as when Kakashi said it - and Minato is explaining that she'll be a part of their team from now on. She pays little mind to their confused stares.

"Yo," she gives a lazy wave, nostalgia hitting her hard in the chest, "Name's Hatsu Sakura, I'm an ANBU medic on leave after a long term mission. My likes… well you don't really need to know. Dislikes," she gives a soft hum as answer, "I have lots of hobbies. And as for my dream… to save my best friend."

She pointedly blocks out the muttered, "women are so troublesome," from her fading friend, instead taking a small amount of glee from the looks of shock on their faces. Minato's is especially amusing, as he looks at her, unable to comprehend the drastic change in her personality.

It's a front – a mask - and the blonde knows it, but the younger ones don't and she intends to keep it that way.

The meeting is easy enough; stretches for a half hour, then a sparing portion played out for the next two hours. Finally moving onto exercises in precision, teamwork, and chakra control. They stop for lunch and Sakura bids her new team goodbye, the excuse of a mission on the tip of her tongue before Obito is looking up at her with eyes so similar to Naruto's that she pauses.

"Do you really have to leave so soon?" The boy is asking, a small pout forming on his lips and what looks like tears starting to build in his wide eyes.

Kakashi lets out a snort and muttered, "crybaby," which turns the open look into a scowl as the Uchiha shoots the Hatake a scathing glare.

"I suppose I can stay a little longer," she says softly, settling back down and trying to fight the tightness gripping her heart as Obito lets out a blinding smile.

 _The small girl_ wrapped in over-sized blankets is staring at her with lost, moist, eyes. Eyes begging her to stay and not leave her alone like her parents when they died on a bloody battle field. She can only give a twitch of lips in comfort and the offered warmth of a tight embrace. No words come to her lips, none she can possibly speak to a recently orphaned girl still clinging to a worn teddy bear.

When she's able to slip away, it's well past her originally planned timetable. But she'll make do – she always has. She wouldn't have made ANBU if she couldn't.

The mask was a welcome weight on her face, stuck there through her precise chakra control, a seal on the inside changing her hair colour to a neutral brown tone as to be less recognizable. Pink hair is just not something you see every day, after all.

She has dawned her uniform once more to sneak into Orochimaru's labs, and then – if all goes to plan – take out Danzo. Despite her ability to acknowledge the village's need to have a less than moral fall back for missions no shinobi wants to take, the means by which those ninja are trained and raised has never sat well with her.

Sneaking into the lab was easier than she expected – but perhaps that came from experience, as she had snuck into a handful of his hideaways during her time. From her swift look around the man has already experimented on Yamato, she pauses briefly in front of the boy's containment tube observing him and glancing at the data being recorded in a folder at the snake's desk.

The boy is stable. Good.

It means she can move him, take him from this place without repercussion to his health. It also means that she has no worry with killing Danzo as his death will mean Orochimaru will most likely see fit to destroy the lab and move all research to a location outside of Konoha or even Fire Country. Such an event would mean Sakura would need to hunt down the snake in order to get Yamato back – something that would take more time than she could give. So by removing the boy now and taking him to safety it left her with one less problem.

The medic part of her was tempted to scavenge a few samples of the Senju cells kept in these labs, but her time here is limited and she can't afford to linger longer than it will take her to save her teammate.

Dismantling the glass and pulling the child from the liquid was delicate work, removing all the wires even more so. The process took much longer than what she was hoping for, when she was finished her nerves were on over drive. It was all she could do to stay calm and think properly. Wrapping the trembling child in a blanket she had brought, she gently lifted him bridal style, in this state it was the best way to carry him – her chest providing more warmth than her back.

She takes the boy to her apartment, entering silently and placing him onto her bed. Sakura watches him for a moment, before running a hand through brown locks and smiling softly behind her mask – a small spark of green chakra rushes into his system, just enough to keep him asleep till morning.

Twisting around she disappears from the room, protection seals securely activated.

She knows where all the Root basis are; their operations in the future had been a thorn in Konoha's side for some parts of the war, and so when Tsuande had finally been fed up with the activities of the organization she had Sakura lead a team of ANBU to dispose of them. Sasuke had come back for a short time at that point, for the only reason being the death of Danzo. It had helped immensely in their plight to stop Root.

But now, she was on her own. No team. No backup. No Sasuke, Naruto, Kakashi, Sai. But with the man's demise came the assurance of no Uchiha massacre, no rumors spread to ostracize the clan further. No experimentation on innocent children.

The entire self-imposed mission takes three hours. If only because she isn't sure _which_ base the man is stashed away in, and in the end it turns out the man is at him home office – small frustrations.

Slipping in and securing a position behind the man – easy.

Silently slipping poison laced senbon from her pouch – easy.

Puncturing three holes in the back of his neck – too easy.

A clone – predictable.

Being accosted from her side – foreseen.

Her clone slamming three more senbon into the man, and watching him fall to the floor as her own fast acting concoction took affect – all too satisfying.

The clean up after that was even simpler – she's healed dead bodied before - using a small enough amount of chakra that any evidence of her appearance would go unnoticed is something her control grants her, and something she uses to the fullest.

Sarutobi calls her to his office the next day. Her sneaking suspicion about the meeting is confirmed when Minato and Ibiki are there as well – the only other two to know of her predicament. The Sandaime doesn't look particularly pleased as she enters the office.

She had to put Yamato under again – the boy had slept soundly throughout the night, but when he woke he had nearly had a panic attack, she reassured him the best she could, and helped him get changed into clothes she had pilfered earlier. His weak limbs still needing rest. When the messenger hawk had arrived she had gave a small smile and sent the same spark of chakra to make him sleep – if only for a few more hours.

"I wonder if he keeps his Icha Icha in the same place," Naruto's voice breaks the tense silence that had befallen the room – or, it broke it for her at least. The blonde is poking around the Hokage's desk, not seeming to mind that he isn't actually moving anything.

"Sakura," Hiruzen brought her green eyes to focus back on him instead of the blonde making face at the old man, "are you aware that a council member was found dead this morning."

She says nothing. Face blank.

"Shimura Danzo's body was discovered in his home office," he pauses here, eying her reaction, "his cause of death was heart attack."

He's accusing her, she knows, testing to see if she had in fact killed the man. Her appearance – a high level medic trained by Tsunade and having fought in a war – and the death of a council member, that Sarutobi no doubt saw a small portion of corruption in, is too much of a coincidence.

She hadn't told him of this, though. Only given him the barest basics of her background on the war. Nothing more. Despite his status and her loyalty to the village she found it impractical to trust so implicitly.

"Sakura," he repeated her name, "tell me now, did you have anything to do with this?"

"You should tell him," Naruto adds to the conversation for only her to hear, "you can trust Jiji, dattebayo! And now you have little Yamato at home, you wouldn't have taken him unless you planned on telling."

"Sakura," Minato says to her right, a frown on his lips.

"Yes."

"Yes?" Sarutobi says, removing the pipe from his mouth and letting a stream of smoke trail past his lips.

"I killed him," she said simply, "he would betray the Hokage in the future," she hesitates to say more, not sure if it's the best idea.

"What's wrong, Sakura-chan," Naruto questions, tilting his head slightly and squinting at her, "you're different, dattebayo."

The words strike a chord – yes she is different, war tends to change people. Loss tends to change people.

But.

"You shouldn't keep everything inside," Naruto's voice becomes serious, the one he used when addressing the alliance, his face straight, "you don't have to carry this burden alone. The world won't end if you tell them, Sakura."

They're the last words he says before he disappears with a small wave and soft smile.

Impractical, yes. But, it may be her only option.

"Sandaime-sama," she says, looking the old man straight in the eye, "I haven't told you everything," she tightens her hands into fists, closing her eyes and seeing her team smiling before the start of practice. It gave her strength, "and I think it's time you know the whole story."


	4. Implausible

**Don't hate me – I know I should be working on 'Promising Tomorrow' as well but I got a huge burst of inspiration for this story! Thus the whole updating really fast thing…**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy! And please review!**

* * *

He's quiet. That is the first thing Sakura really notices – _her_ Yamato had never spoken much either, true, but this boy barely manages to look at her. Though such a thing laces pain in her heart Sakura refuses to let him go, refuses to let the Hokage take him away, put him in an orphanage.

Refuses.

She owes him a good home, owes him a loving guardian and training with his mokuton release. She had pilfered a few scrolls from Root bases when she was searching for Danzo; they wouldn't be missed now that the organization has fallen to shambles.

Hatsu Sakura, ANBU, medic, member of Team Minato.

Now, guardian of one Hatsu Yamato.

In the near two months the young boy has lived with her he's been reinstated in the shinobi program, starting out in the academy to make genin with the next graduating class and will make his way through the ranks from there. She has been guiding him the best she can in his practice with his new abilities, training him in chakra control and basic medical procedures as well. You never know what might happen, and therefore it is best to be prepared.

When the small boy wanders out of the bedroom rubbing his eyes to chase away lingering sleep Sakura's heart clenches at how cute the sight is, fighting back the rising need to coo over the boy.

But it is far too early for the child to be up, the sun not even touching the horizon yet, though it soon will.

"Sakura-nee," Yamato says in a pathetic and scared tone, looking up at her with wide, watery eyes. The shy nature has calmed down from what it once was, though he is still soft spoken the boy comes to her with little issue about asking for comfort, and she has proudly taken the mantle of his sister.

"Bad dream?" She questions gently, kneeling down to his level a few feet from the clothes drowned figure. When he gives a small series of nods she opens her arms wide, not even flinching as the child rushes at her and buries his head into her shoulder.

 _"You need to_ sleep," he was telling her, arms crossed at the entrance to her tent, watching her decode a nasty poison.

"No time," she mumbled, pushing up from her chair and moving to a small shelf to gather needed supplies. A hand gripped her arm, not tightly enough to stop her escape, but an anchor to keep her from moving.

"Sakura," Yamato says, voice stern, "it's been three days, your body needs rest."

She looks back at him with distant green eyes, a million possible combinations for antidotes running through her mind, keeping away the thoughts of sleep and nightmares that follow.

 _A scream is_ ripping out of her throat before she can stop it, slamming a hand over her mouth to stop the sound from continuing she curled around her shaking legs, drawing them to her chest and hugging them close.

The shifting of material – _'not the tent flap'_ she absently notes in the haze of panic - is the only warning she gets before strong arms are wrapping her in a warm grip. The smell of forest and blood, dirt and battle reaches her noise, "Yamato," she whispers, hating how her voice shakes.

"It's alright, Sakura," he tell her, "it was just a nightmare."

The only nights she ever manages sleep again are when he is there to comfort her.

She hates it when he's there – it means he was reckless enough to get hurt.

 _Kakashi approaches her_ when she's cooling down from a demanding series of katas in the camp's training grounds. He has a solemn look to his face, the usual lazy nature gone from his posture and movements. She stops, standing up to face him as he pauses a few feet from her.

If she were needed in the medical tent then he would be more urgent in his movements, would have shouted to her. His one grey eye has a lost look to it, a pained one. And she knows. She _knows._

"Who?" The question comes out in a whisper, when he doesn't answer immediately she repeats herself, "Kami, Kaka-sensei, who is it?"

"Tenzo."

She never did understand why Kakashi called him that.

Her shirt is getting wet with tears and snot, but she can't bring herself to care – not when this simple gesture of warmth can comfort the boy so much.

She rests her chin on the top of his head, letting one hand hold him close in a hug and the other run fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

 _"It was just_ a nightmare, Sakura, calm down," her mother sighed running a soothing hang through pink locks.

"But, kaa-san, it was scary!" Her shrill voice whined, squirming further into her mother's arms.

The woman gave out a soft hum, starting to rock Sakura in an attempt to calm her, "what if I sing to you, will that help?"

Sakura gave a jostling nod; anything to delay going back to bed alone.

"nen-nen yo okororiyo suya-suya to oyasuminasai,

"nen-nen yo okororiyo yasashi hito ni sodachimasu you ni," Sakura shifted in her mother's arms – this was always her favorite.

"kami-sama arigatou, enjeru mo arigatou,

"nen-nen yo okororiyo mama no mune de oyasuminasai,"

She didn't realize she was singing till someone behind her spoke.

"You have a beautiful voice, Sakura," she glances back, pausing in her song as the sight of _her_ Yamato beheld her attention. She gave a small smile and even smaller nod before continuing the lullaby.

When the sun peaks over the horizon Sakure is still running her fingers tenderly through brown locks, only pulling back once the sniffling died down. She looks at the boy in her arms, speaking softly she asks him if he would like some breakfast, earning a sloppy nod in return.

The Kannabi bridge mission was happening. Sakura could feel coiling masses of worry in her stomach – a nervousness she hasn't felt since her genin days. But she will forgive herself, because _this is it._ This is the time she changes _everything._ Obito will be saved, Danzo dead, Orochimaru soon to be run out of the village or killed.

With this she can finally focus her energy on tracking down Madara, tracking down Zetsu, destroying them. Then search out Jiraiya's old students, aide them in their fight against Hanzo.

She will ensure that Minato lives, that the nine-tails won't be taken from Kushina before her time.

But for now she needs to focus.

Grabbing hold of the present she bought for Kakashi, as he had made jounin, Sakura checked herself over once more. Both of her weapons pouches were full, her medical pouch stocked, gloves on, gear adjusted, seals holding tanto and her ANBU uniform.

Leaving the bedroom she found Yamato waiting with a protein bar and rice ball, as she walked up the boy held out the two for her to take.

"Thank you, Otouto," she ruffled his hair.

Looking down and hold his hand behind his back Yamato mumbled out, "come home safe."

"I'll try," she told him, giving a peck of a kiss to his forehead, before leaving with a small wave and reminder to be good for his sensei at the academy and Kushina will be by to pick him up soon. Though they aren't particularly close Kushina and her have become light friends since Sakura joined Minato's team, and the redhead had offered to watch Yamato while they were out on the mission. It was something the pinket couldn't refuse. She let out a small pulse of chakra to check that the protection seals were still active – keyed to let only her, Yamato, the Hokage, her team and Kushina in.

When she reached their meeting point it was something of a surprise to see Obito there on time – she supposed it was because no one else was truly up at this hour, and so he had no one requesting his assistance.

"Ready?" She asked, walking up beside him.

He gave a fist pump, eyes sparkling, "of course!"

"Good," she ruffled his hair, earning a protestant shout from the boy. She has gotten better around him, Shikamaru's words helping as well as time – though she still has moments where all she can see is an older, insane, Uchiha bent on bringing destruction to the Elemental Nations. But he truly is like Naruto, so capable of bringing people together, and bright like the sun. It made her heart ache for her friend, but also sent fierce waves of protection through her for the young boy.

They were seen off at the gates by Kushina, and Sakura had to conceal her laughter at the strange relationship her and Obito had, enjoying the banter for all it was worth.

When the redhead told the youth to come back okay with promise for punishment should he not Obito gave a shadowed smirk before bursting out a, "who do you think I am, anyway! I'm going to be the next Hokage! There's nothing to worry about, I'll make the mission a success! And then," here he paused, pulling back his fist and thrusting it forward, "come back with everyone without a scratch!" The words made Sakura's heart ache, but the boy wasn't done, and the next words he said nearly made her cry out in protest. "That's a promise!"

She couldn't see his face from her angle but instinct told her he had a wide, toothy grin on his face, and knowing that hurt all the more. The last time a scene similar to this had played out with her in Kushina's position and Naruto in Obito's the entire team returned half dead.

She supposed that was better than this mission's original outcome, though.

All the same, something wrapped itself around her heart at those words and she muttered under her breath, "you will live through this, I promise."

It was a promise she would give everything to keep.

They stopped half-way through the day, to discuss plans and give Kakashi gifts for making jounin. Just before doing so, as Minato was pointing at the map, explaining possible points for enemy attack Sakura slipped to squat slightly behind Obito, obscuring her hand movements.

She pulled out one of the two gifts she planned on handing to the silver-headed boy, and slipped it into the Uchiha's back weapons pouch, tapping his back lightly and leaning over enough to whisper in the boy's ear.

"For Kakashi," she said, shooting him a glance to keep him quiet as the blonde had everyone's attention on the map. She had no doubt Minato noticed her movements, but Kakashi was focused and would pay no notice of Obito or her.

He may not understand now, but he will in a minute and that was fine by her.

 _"He didn't give_ me a gift for my jounin promotion," Kakashi said with a broken laugh, "ended up giving me his eye instead," they were drunk, stupidly so, and though Sakura could hold her liquor liker her shishou – that isn't to say she _should_ be drinking at her age - Kakashi didn't have the knowledge of medical jutsu to stem the alcohol's side effects.

They were at war. A looming notion, having just discovered 'Madara's' true identity but a month prior. It had sent her sensei into a spiral of depression and he closed off, walking like a ghost through the street of Konoha. Sakura had finally had enough, trying to snap him out of it anyway she knew how. This was her last resort, and it had led to her current position on her living room floor with a drunk sensei spewing his guts out about his dead-not-dead teammate and best friend.

They got up to leave, to move from clearing and continue their journey, but Minato sent a look to Sakura that told her to pause and he called out to his three students.

Minato gave one of his special kunai.

Rin gifted a medical kit.

It was her turn.

 _"You just have_ to take these bells from me," he said holding up said objects.

 _"You never realized_ what this exercise was all about," the man accused, still digging his sandal into Sasuke's head.

 _The bells chimed_ playfully as he held them up. And here she thought she would never have to deal with this embarrassing test again. Naruto stood beside her, grinning ear to ear – and the realization came that they knew the answer, they only had to work together, they had to get the bells, no worrying about passing only proving themselves. Which, she supposed, could be just as nerve wracking. To say she was shocked by _how_ they managed the feat of stealing said objects would be an understatement. She never thought their sensei's obsession with those porn novels would come in handy.

"Bells?" The boy looked up at her confusion written across his figure. The blonde standing to her left gave a knowing look and she smiled.

"Yes, bells," she said primly with a small sniff of her nose.

He looked at the silver objects and then back at her, then to the bells, and once more back to her, "why?"

"You'll just have to figure that out for yourself," she said, reaching a hand out to pat his head which he promptly swatted away. Sakura turned to Obito, giving a pointed look to his back pouch, "Obito, your turn."

Obito looked from her to Kakashi and a dawning comprehension was easily read out on his face.

"You forgot, didn't you," Kakashi said blandly, though Sakura could read a flash of hurt in his eyes.

"No!" Obito scowled at the silver-head, reaching back into his pouch and shoving forward the gift.

Kakashi cautiously reached out and took the offered parcel, unwrapping it to reveal an orange book.

"'The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi'," the Hatake read, brows furrowed.

"If you don't like it, then give it back," the Uchiha snarled out, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling.

"You can't take a gift back," the young Hatake narrowed his eyes.

"Who says?" Obito demanded, hands on his hips, "the _rules_?"

"Okay, okay," Minato said getting between the two, "let's not start on a mission, alright?"

They both let out breathy huffs and turned their head away. Sakura couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

It wasn't until they made it into the woods that they were met with any resistance.

"Maa, Sakura," Kakashi drawled, hands in his pockets as he walked beside her, "let this play out, won't you? The brat's about to learn a lesson."

She looked at her sensei out of the corner of her eye, not deeming the statement in need of a response – Kakashi new she would listen anyway.

He was right, it would seem. Kakashi needed this lesson too, as he hadn't been able to grasp her meaning behind the bells.

Looking down at the injured nin as Rin tried to heal him from his reckless charge against an unknown enemy Sakura found herself frowning.

Minato joined them moments later, "Kakashi's injury is pretty bad," the blonde said, "we should set up camp."

"I'm fine," Kakashi said rather loudly.

"What do you mean 'fine'?" Obito demanded just as loud, "you went against sensei's orders, and did something crazy!"

"I don't have anything to say to an elite Uchiha crybaby who pissed his pants," the Hatake said harshly, eyes steady and uncaring.

"Well… I got something in my eyes so tears started coming out!"

"Do you know the twenty-fifth shinobi rule? It states 'a shinobi must never show his tears'."

Rin, as always, intervened, but as she did so her chakra died down and she gave a frustrated huff at not finishing her healing.

"Sakura," Kakashi lazily exclaimed, Sakura eyed him, pushing the voices of her teammates to the background as _her_ Kakashi started to speak, "be careful what you change on this mission," he warns her, "and make sure to drill teamwork into my head. It'll be hard, I was always a stubborn brat."

"Sakura," Minato touched her arm and she forced herself not to flinch from the contact, she turned her head and looked at him in confusion.

"Yes?"

He gave her a concerned look that she waved off, "I asked if you could finish healing Kakashi," he frowned.

She moved forward despite part of her wanting to leave the injury to spite the boy for his reckless behavior. Kneeling in Rin's place she began the process of healing that would take a mere minute. Her eyes widened at what she found as she began.

"Rin," her voice came out tight, not breaking her flow of healing chakra, "where are you learning to heal?"

"The hospital," the girl said timidly.

Sakura gritted her teeth and her eyes flashed. No wonder the casualty rate was so high, they were working with ancient techniques. She removed her hands and received confused looks.

"What's wrong?" Minato spoke first, as Kakashi eyed her.

"Nothing," Sakura stated.

"But-" Kakashi looked back at the bloodied area of shirt. And Sakura understood what he was asking, no medic – besides Tsunade – would be able to heal a wound so fast.

"Konoha's hospital has fallen," is all she offers, stalking off to search for a place to make camp.

Minato broke off from their group the next day. And they began the slow trek through Fire Country and into enemy territory.

The only resistance they met was the occasional trap.

That is, until the Iwa shinobi ambushed them attempting the kidnap of Rin. Sakura knew this was what set them back on the mission, knew that she should stop it.

But.

"Let her go, Sakura," Kakashi stared sadly at the limp form of Rin held in the Iwa-nin's grasp.

She listened.

"Come on, Kakashi, Sakura, we need to go after them," Obito was already giving chase.

Kakashi didn't move and Sakura closed her eyes in resignation. He wasn't _her_ Kakashi – still didn't put comrades before the mission.

"Hey! Kakashi!"

"We need to carry on with the mission," the boy said, looking down.

"Wh-what?! But what about Rin!?"

"We'll think about her later. They want to know our plans so they won't kill her right away. A ninja should worry about their mission first. That is the ninja code."

"Ninja code?! There's something way more important than the stupid code! What about Rin! She's helped us time and time again as a medic-nin, and she's supported us the entire time! She's..she's," he paused here anger boiling over it would seem, "she's a priceless friend!"

"She did that because it was part of her mission."

Obito surged forward at that, and Sakura almost pulled the Uchiha away but stopped herself as he did it himself, "forget it," Obito turned away, "you just don't get it."

"You don't get it," Kakashi counters, "you don't know what happens to those who break the code."

"Sure, those who break the code are scum," Obito starts, and Sakura's heart stutters at the words leaving his mouth. The words she spent her entire life striving to live by, "but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum! If I'm going to be scum either way, I'd rather help Rin. Sakura?"

She looks at Obito, who is staring up at her with a determined gleam in his eyes. She looks back at Kakashi and finds him with a blank look, no emotion.

She gives a bitter smile, eyes full of sorrow, "you still don't understand my present, do you?"

Kakashi blinks at her, "the bells? What do they have to do with this?"

She hums, before turning towards Obito and walking forward.

When they can no longer see each the silver-haired boy she makes a shadow clone to go after him, giving Obito a small smile and telling him that they can't abandon Kakashi either.

They find her easily enough, the Iwa shinobi having not bothered to hide their tracks. Sakura observes the situation and debates whether or not she should simply go in herself, but one glance at Obito tells her he won't be made to sit this one out.

As expected, Kakashi appears not long into their battle, and Sakura lets a smirk come to her lips at that – her clone having done its work - twisting to avoid the second member's blade. She refuses to admit how relieved she is for his appearance; dealing with shinobi who can set an invisibility genjutsu on themselves is not her favorite battle to fight.

She thinks she's done it, that she's changed everything, as Rin wakes up and gives them a grateful smile. That is, until more shinobi are pouring into the cave, weapons raised in attack and then she's engaged in another battle. Engaged enough with cutting down her enemy to not be able to reach the two lingering by entrance in time to stop the jutsu that brings the cave down upon them.

The three younger shinobi are already running for the exit, she watches as they go cutting down her last foe before following behind – ready to push them from under any falling rock she must.

It happens in slow motion for her, Kakashi is hit with one of the smaller rocks, slowing him slightly, and then Obito is throwing the Hatake from the boulder's path.

Sakura can feel her muscles tear under the strain of the chakra she pumps into them, forcing them to go faster. In one second and the next she finds herself crouched over the vulnerable Uchiha, a chakra enhanced fist rushing upwards to meet the boulder.

It shatters on impact.

It is after, after they deal with the last of the Iwa-nin and Sakura is left to check over Rin while the boys go to blow the bridge. After they return with smiles and excited explanations of what they did.

It is only then that she feels it.

Zetsu.

Her enter body freezes – not because she can feel his chakra, not even the best sensors can do that, no; she has fought the monster enough to know him by the shift in the air, the small differences in the earth and sounds of the world around her.

She clenches her fists and looks at the three excited shinobi riding the waves of adrenaline. Then Zetsu is moving away, towards Madara she assumes – to inform him of Obito's survival. And it would make everything easier should she kill the two now; track them down before they can pick a different disciple to help them destroy Konoha.

Her body is moving before she even realizes it, ignoring the ache in her legs that she has yet to heal in favor of her teammates' injuries. She yells back at the three to stay put, that she'll be back soon and gives chase after the shifting of the world towards her worst enemy.

"Sakura," a male voice makes her pause at the cave's entrance. The voice doesn't belong to Naruto, nor Shikamaru, Yamato or Kakashi.

Sakura turns her head to lock eyes with onyx depths that could turn any minute into swirling black and red pinwheels.

"Sasuke," she greets. It is only suiting that he be here now, when her end has come – she had been there for his, after all.

 _"You don't need_ to do this."

"I do."

"We can find another way."

"Sasuke, there isn't another way."

"You can't-"

"I can't not."

He looks at her, eyes steady in the wake of her unwavering resolve – a curt, sharp nod and he moves forward, "then use my chakra."

"My seal has plenty," she says, already starting to form the hand signs to release it – prepared to feel the rush of power that nobody ever told her was painful.

A hand rests on her's, stopping their movements.

"If something goes wrong," he explains, "you'll need it."

She frowns, but concedes his point – if something goes wrong, if she doesn't go back far enough. The last she sees of him through the pain of feeling her very being tearing apart is his body falling to the ground, drained of its chakra to the very last drop.

"If you go in there you'll get yourself killed, there is no way Zetsu didn't feel you following him," he says, voice monotone and factual. He won't throw in her face that she only just adopted a young Yamato, and is going to get herself killed – leaving him alone once more. He won't, because Sakura knows he recognizes that as a personal guilt she will carry and not one to be poked at to tempt her to change course.

"You died so I could come back," she snaps out at him, still moving forward, inching into the cave, "so I could change everything."

Sasuke frowns at her, a wrinkling of his eyes, the last words he says hang in the air even as he fades into nothing "I died so you could live."

The words make her freeze, body unmoving as they are processed. She grits her teeth, forcing down the bubbling emotions, the tears, the pain – the weakness making her knees shake. She won't be weak, not here, not ever again – she can't be. She won't be weak, so she will be strong – ragingly so, implausibly so. She will be strong enough to come out of this alive – for Naruto, Kakashi, Sai, Tsunade, Ino. For Sasuke.

Madara is pale, dying. Hooked up to the gedo mazo statue to stay alive. She wants so bad to kill him, to feel his flesh tear under her sword, feel his bones crushed by her fists.

But she's busy, fighting Zetsu and trying to push down the way her muscles are tired from days of travel. Two months spent with no missions, no life-threatening situations seems to have made her weaker. With a burst of rage at that thought she punches a White Zetsu clone, sending it into others and destroying them when they hit the far wall.

It's not till she has multiple wounds and is breathing heavy that she jumps back and sets two shadow clones to cover her as she releases her seal. It will give her enough chakra and endurance to deal with White Zetsu and Madara while more clones take on Black Zetsu and keep him occupied enough for her to seal into the statue.

The plan is as good as any.

And it works.

Works till the last second when her reserves are low and she has drawn out the design for sealing Black Zetsu into the statue. Then there is a spike through her chest and she wouldn't be worried if she didn't need nearly all of her remaining reserves to activate the seal.

She wouldn't of felt the darkness creep up on her if she stopped herself from pushing the needed energy into the statue, drawing a misshapen shadow into it. Wouldn't be worried if her yin seal didn't give out in that second, leaving a staff in her chest.

Ino always told her she worried too much.

As the darkness – the same that took her best friend from her – slips over her vision and muffles the world she thinks to smile. The upturn of her lips is soft but there, painful but worth it because Naruto would want her to.

 _"Ne, ne Sakura-chan_ ," Naruto prodded for her attention, ignoring the growl she let out at having him barge into her office as she was organizing patient information, "Kaka-sensei is getting released today, right?"

She looks over her shoulder at him, taking in his hopeful eyes and eager smile, "I think so."

"Then we should celebrate!" He announces with enthusiasm, something that has never left him in all the time they've been at war. For that, she knows small miracles exist.

His warmth is infectious, always has been. And her tired frame soaks it up greedily, feeding off his energy in order to gain some itself – simply keeping her eyes open has become hard with how little sleep she's managed recently.

"As long as it's not ramen," she says flippantly, setting down the folders and deciding to leave them for another hour; Kakashi should be getting out soon enough anyway.

"Why not!?" He exclaims in mock hurt.

"It's not healthy, Naruto," she tells him even though she knows he'll ignore that fact as he has every time before, "we should let Kaka-sensei choose," she offers, "it _is_ his celebration."

"Alright," Naruto gives a nod and starts walking in the direction of the silver-haired man's room, "then let's go ask him!"

She smiles as he turns to wave her forward, steps bouncing against the floor and mouth stretched wide in a toothy grin.

"You should smile more, dattebayo," his voice catches her off guard, the sincerity behind the words making her blink at him. In place of the too-wide grin is a soft upturn of lips and fond look in blue eyes.

"Sakura!" Her name is called, but it sounds far away.

 _"We'll start with_ your name."

 _"Sakura-chan, my beautiful_ spring flower," Lee surges onto the training field, she had requested he train her in taijutsu and endurance to prepare her for the ANBU exams coming in a month's time.

 _"Sakura, congratulation,"_ _Tsunade_ gave her a smile full of pride as the pinket held the porcelain mask.

 _"Scorpion-taichou," her new_ team member greeted with respect. She had managed to reach the position within two months, after all.

 _"Scorpion," the Godaime_ addressed in a business tone, "I need you and your team to take out a group of missing-nin in the north."

 _"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice_ called out to her.

 _"Sakura."_

 _"Haruno-san."_

 _"Sakura!"_

 _"Fore-head."_

 _"Sakura."_

 _"Pinkie."_

 _"Haruno."_

 _"Billboard-brow!"_

 _"Ugly."_

 _"Little girl."_

 _"Scorpion."_

 _"Sakura."_

 _"Sakura."_

 _"Sakura."_

"Sakura, Sakura, can you hear me?"

"Tsunade-sh-" the world was too bright, it hurt.

"Stay with us Sakura, stay awake," her teacher's voice ordered, and though she tried to listen she felt too heavy, so heavy, "no, don't close your eyes. We need you stay awake, Sakura!"

Everything was dark, she was falling. Falling but never hitting the ground, or maybe she already had – it was so hard to tell.

"You need to wake up, Fore-head."

Sakura jolted at the voice, twisting around to find the source, her green eyes landed on the figure of her friend laid out next to her, staring up at the black ceiling. Eyes not distant, but focused and smiling.

Long hay-blonde tresses fell in a sea to tangle around her head, not held up by the girl's signature hair-tie. Her standard jounin gear still wrapping a thin figure leaking blood. A small trickle of red falls from the corner of pale, thin lips and soaks into hair.

Sakura blinks and the blood is gone, there's a flush to her friend's skin and blonde strands neatly brushed out. Hand resting lazily on her stomach, fingers interlaced. Her eyes were brighter, blue and burning with a fire Sakura barely recognized.

"Ino," she breathed out, a prayer, a whisper, a hope.

"Hey Sakura," her friend turned to look at her then, smiling wide and warm with closed eyes that made her chest ache and throat burn, "you need to wake up," she repeated the words, voice so light and casual, as if the world wasn't falling apart when she last saw it, "you'll be stuck in here if you don't."

"Ino," Sakura tries to make her voice show her regret, "Ino, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't-"

"It's not your fault," Ino cuts her off, smile still on her face, "I was dead before I got to you."

Sakura chokes back a sob at that, trying to keep the tears out of her eyes. Because it was _her_ fault Ino died, _her_ fault for not being strong enough and Sakura doesn't _understand_ why Ino won't rightfully blame her.

"Stop that," her friend breaks her thoughts, "survivor's guilt doesn't suit you."

Ino is rising to her feet then, an elegance to her movements born from countless battles.

"Now, wake up, Fore-head," the blonde crosses her arms as if in annoyance but her features are soft, "it isn't your time."

Everything goes white.

* * *

 **The lullaby is actually a Japanese lullaby I found online, it's called: Sleeping Forest by Yoko Takahashi.**

 **I originally planned to end the story here... but I think that would be a bit too mean, ne?**

 **THE SEQUEL IS UP - CALLED 'The Fury'!**


End file.
